The invention disclosed herein arose out of a need to provide an inconspicuous traverse rod assembly for use in a vertical blind assembly. Most traverse rods are conspicuously mounted along the top of a window opening. Usually an attempt is made by the installer to select a color for the rod which will match the decor of the area. However, it has been and still is unlikely that a perfect color matching will be possible. Further, the problem of color matching is increased when the decor of the area is changed. Oftentimes, a painter will accidently smear paint on the traverse rod thereby causing the rod to be unsightly. Thus, it may be necessary to hide the rod by a valance or other similar device.
The problem of conspicuousness with respect to the traverse rod and the structure operable therewith to effect an operation of the vertical blinds has been solved by the structure disclosed in copending applications filed concurrently herewith, Ser. Nos. 298,553 and 298,552. This structure satisfactorily separates the mechanism for pivoting the vertical blinds about a vertical axis from the cords for moving the vertical blinds across the window opening and thereby prevents the cords from becoming snarled in the drive mechanism for pivoting the vertical blinds. However, the problem of developing a satisfactorily operable pulley housing to operably cooperate with the traverse rod and the structure operable therewith has remained a problem. Accordingly, it is desirous to solve the problem of providing a pulley housing for the traverse rod capable of effecting operation of a vertical blind assembly.
The objects of the invention include:
1. The provision of an end structure which has an overall height comparable to the height of the traverse rod and includes mechanism for effecting operation of vertical blind slats associated with the traverse rod.
2. The provision of an end structure, as aforesaid, which is easily assembled without the use of special tools and by procedures previously developed.
3. The provision of an end structure, as aforesaid, which is of a durable construction and is easily maintainable.
4. The provision of an end structure wherein a major portion of the wall structure thereof is of the same thickness to facilitate an even curing of the material following injection of the material thereof into a mold, whereby to further facilitate a maintaining of desired tolerances during the molding process.
5. The provision of pin end structures, as aforesaid, which are secured to opposite ends of the traverse rod and are mirror images of each other to thereby facilitate the alternate placement of the manually engageable pulls at either end of the traverse rod and to thereby facilitate operation of the vertical blind arrangement from either end of the traverse rod.